Simcha Eichenstein

Simcha Eichenstein was born to a rabbi from a prominent Bobover rabbinical family in Borough Park, Brooklyn, where he grew up and attended yeshivas.Donn, Yochonon (April 26, 2018) [https://hamodia.com/2018/04/26/simcha-eichenstein-declares-candidacy-brooklyn-assembly-seat/ "Simcha Eichenstein Declares Candidacy for Brooklyn Assembly Seat"], Hamodia(May 2, 2018) [https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/eichenstein-announces-candidacy-in-expected-cakewalk/ "Eichenstein Announces Candidacy In Expected Cakewalk"], Kings County PoliticsWitt, Stephen (August 20, 2018) [https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/simcha-eichenstein-boro-parks-changing-of-the-political-guard/ "Simcha Eichenstein: Boro Park’s Changing Of The Political Guard"], Kings County Politics

In July 2011, Eichenstein, by then a known political operative, was at the front lines of the search for the suspect in the murder of Leiby Kletzky. His wife helped to identify Levi Aron through her job as a receptionist at the dentist's office that Aron was a patron of.Shaer, Matthew (December 4, 2011) [https://www.nymag.com/news/features/levi-aron-2011-12/index4.html "A Monster Among the 'Frum'"], New York Magazine. "[Simcha] Eichenstein's wife, Herbst knew, worked for Sorscher as a receptionist. Elbowing Bernstein out of the way, Herbst uploaded a clip of the bearded man, and sent it to Eichenstein. Eichenstein sent it to his wife, at home with her small children. "Of course", she told her husband. She couldn't remember the man's name, but she was sure she had seen him. "He came in to pay a bill. He was the last one in the office."

Eichenstein started his career as an aide to political consultant Ezra Friedlander.{{cite web|url=https://vosizneias.com/2008/09/25/brooklyn-ny-political-activists-meet-with-democratic-vp-candidate-joesph-biden-to-drum-up-orthodox-support-for-Obama |title=Political Activists Meet with Democratic VP Candidate Joesph Biden To Drum Up Orthodox Support For Obama |website=vosizneias.com |date=September 25, 2008 |access-date=April 23, 2020}}

From 2011 until 2015, Eichenstein was the senior adviser to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |author=Joseph Berger |date=September 13, 2014

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/sunday-review/are-liberal-jewish-voters-a-thing-of-the-past.html |title=Are Liberal Jewish Voters a Thing of the Past? |quote=Simcha Eichenstein, a Hasid regarded as a political wunderkind, is the senior adviser to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli}} Following this, he was director of political and governmental services to the Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio.{{Cite web |url=https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/de-blasio-campaigns-with-eichenstein-in-boro-park |title=De Blasio Campaigns with Eichenstein in Boro Park |website=www.kingscountypolitics.com |date=2 November 2018 |access-date=2018-11-07}}{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/nyregion/yeshivas-education-report-new-york.html |title=Why New York's Inquiry Into Yeshivas Mysteriously Stalled |quote=formerly worked for Mr. de Blasio's legislative affairs team |author1=Eliza Shapiro |author2=Jeffery C. Mays |date=December 18, 2019 |access-date=April 23, 2020}}

On April 26, 2018, Eichenstein announced his candidacy for the open New York State Assembly District 48 seat, covering most of Borough Park and part of Midwood, Brooklyn, being vacated by Dov Hikind. He won the seat unopposed in the general election, becoming the first Hasidic lawmaker from Brooklyn elected to any level of government. As Hikind's hand-picked successor,{{cite news |newspaper=New York Daily News|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn-state-assemblyman-dov-hikind-won-seek-reelection-article-1.3954077 |title=Brooklyn State Assemblyman Dov Hikind Won't Seek Re-Election After 36 Years in Office |author=Reuven Blau |date=April 25, 2018 |access-date=April 23, 2020}} Eichenstein was considered to be the front-runner in the race, running unopposed as the Democratic candidate in the primary election in September 2018. His candidacy was supported by Rebbes of various Hasidic sects, including Bobov, Satmar, Ger, and Belz,{{Cite news|url=https://hamodia.com/2018/05/15/six-boro-parks-largest-kehillos-endorse-simcha-eichenstein/|title=Six of Boro Park's Largest Kehillos Endorse Simcha Eichenstein {{!}} Jewish News {{!}} Israel News {{!}} Israel Politics|date=2018-05-15|work=Hamodia|access-date=2018-11-07}} as well as by Senator Charles Schumer,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1610696/senator-schumer-endorses-simcha-eichenstein-for-nys-assembly.html|title=Senator Schumer Endorses Simcha Eichenstein For NYS Assembly|date=2018-10-25|website=The Yeshiva World|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-02}} former Senator Joe Lieberman,{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingscountypolitics.com/video-lieberman-supports-eichenstein-run-for-assembly/|title=Video: Lieberman Supports Eichenstein Run For Assembly|last=Politics|first=Kings County|date=2018-10-10|website=Kings County Politics|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-02}} and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1615931/photos-nyc-mayor-de-blasio-campaigns-with-assembly-candidate-simcha-eichenstein-in-boro-park.html|title=NYC Mayor De Blasio Campaigns With Assembly Candidate Simcha Eichenstein In Boro Park |date=2018-11-03|website=The Yeshiva World|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-02}}

Eichenstein has strongly opposed the government mandating secular education in Hasidic schools.{{cite news |title=Interview with Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein |url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1663434/watch-interview-with-ny-assemblyman-simcha-eichenstein-after-week-one-in-office.html/|access-date=August 29, 2019 |publisher=Yeshiva World News}}

In March 2020, Eichenstein co-sponsored a bill promoted by Pamela Hunter that sought to end driver license suspensions for drivers with unpaid fines, saying: "Without a driver's license, a person cannot drive to work or to school, or even to court to pay their fine... Let's keep our safe and responsible drivers on the roads, instead of being embroiled in needless and wasteful court appearances... This new legislation would represent a victory for all New York drivers."[https://hamodia.com/2020/03/08/assemblyman-eichenstein-eliminate-drivers-license-suspension-due-unpaid-fines/ "Assemblyman Eichenstein: Eliminate Driver's License Suspension Due to Unpaid Fines"] (March 8, 2020); Hamodia. Retrieved March 12, 2020.

In October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Eichenstein said he was "outraged" with the "draconian measures" implemented by Governor Andrew Cuomo to curb the spread of coronavirus in various neighborhoods of New York City.{{Cite web | url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/09/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html | title=Florida will be 'like a house on fire' in weeks with loose coronavirus restrictions, infectious disease expert says | website=CNN | date=9 October 2020 }}{{cite tweet|number=1314060655054516227|user=SEichenstein|title=My Statement Regarding Recent Events in Boro Park. |date=8 October 2020}}

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie appointed Eichenstein to serve on a number of committees, including Aging, Cities, Housing, Real Property Taxation, and Social Services.{{cite news |title=Assembly Member Simcha Eichenstein Appointed to Prominent Committee Assignments |url=https://www.boropark24.com/assembly-member-simcha-eichenstein-appointed-to-prominent-committee-assignments/ |access-date=10 January 2019 |publisher=BoroPark24|date=7 January 2019}} Eichenstein serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Outreach and Oversight of Senior Citizen Programs.{{Cite web|url=https://nyassembly.gov/comm/?id=93|title=New York State Assembly {{!}} Outreach and Oversight of Senior Citizen Programs|website=nyassembly.gov|access-date=2019-11-14}}

Eichenstein is married, and the father of four children. He is a life-long resident of Borough Park, Brooklyn.

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Category:1983 births

Category:American Orthodox Jews

Category:American Hasidim

Category:Jewish American state legislators in New York (state)

Category:Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly

Category:People from Borough Park, Brooklyn

Category:Politicians from Brooklyn

Category:Living people

Category:Bobov (Hasidic dynasty)

Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature